Zadina

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

Out of the draft options who would y’all like to see most with Zadina

Lafreniere or bust.

I was sold by the stuff he did even with an injury sandwiched in there with the U20s. I normally want to come down hard on "the next big thing" because more often than not, they're not as good as advertised... but Lafreniere looks to fill the part. He's much more Taylor Hall than he is Nail Yakupov.

All in on Alexis.

Trying to build myself to love Byfield, Stutzle or whoever, so I'm not depressed when the lotto comes and we lose ground again... but I want Lafreniere bad.

 

[ArmChairGM89]

Lafreniere or bust.

I was sold by the stuff he did even with an injury sandwiched in there with the U20s. I normally want to come down hard on "the next big thing" because more often than not, they're not as good as advertised... but Lafreniere looks to fill the part. He's much more Taylor Hall than he is Nail Yakupov.

All in on Alexis.

Trying to build myself to love Byfield, Stutzle or whoever, so I'm not depressed when the lotto comes and we lose ground again... but I want Lafreniere bad.

lafreniere and zadina on the same line with zadina having two years of pro experience under his belt would be amazing. I think getting lafreniere would change zadinas career trajectory exponentially. And having a creative finisher like zadina to play with in his rookie year could allow lafreniere to really come out hot.

if we get 1 OA it’s going to be a crazy long summer lol

 

[saska sault]

Zadina has looked very good, still lots of room for improvement... Especially in the speed department, how fast he gets up to top speed and how quickly he makes plays. That being said you can clearly see the raw skill and instincts have the potential for him to be very, very good player long term. He is fun to watch develop...

As for the draft, I'm scouting who's available at #4 and going to do the same and try to fall in love with the prospects in that range. If we get #1 thats amazing, and a huge boost in the rebuild... But... It's statistically not that likely even after a bad season like this.

 

[ArmChairGM89]

Zadina has looked very good, still lots of room for improvement... Especially in the speed department, how fast he gets up to top speed and how quickly he makes plays. That being said you can clearly see the raw skill and instincts have the potential for him to be very, very good player long term. He is fun to watch develop...

As for the draft, I'm scouting who's available at #4 and going to do the same and try to fall in love with the prospects in that range. If we get #1 thats amazing, and a huge boost in the rebuild... But... It's statistically not that likely even after a bad season like this.

I used this strategy earlier in the year (decide who I want at 4 that I know will be available, to avoid disappointment.) I fell in love with stutzle. When I started he was generally ranked 7-9. But it seems to have backfired as the stutzle train has grown massive and I often see him talked about at 2-5 now. Ugh.

 

[Roomba With a Bauer]

Zadina has looked very good, still lots of room for improvement... Especially in the speed department, how fast he gets up to top speed and how quickly he makes plays. That being said you can clearly see the raw skill and instincts have the potential for him to be very, very good player long term. He is fun to watch develop...

As for the draft, I'm scouting who's available at #4 and going to do the same and try to fall in love with the prospects in that range. If we get #1 thats amazing, and a huge boost in the rebuild... But... It's statistically not that likely even after a bad season like this.

With how important the Wings have been to league revenues in the past, they are going to have to throw them a bone at some point. Revenues and attendance is already dropping.

I think the Wings get at least the second pick this year.

 

[saska sault]

With how important the Wings have been to league revenues in the past, they are going to have to throw them a bone at some point. Revenues and attendance is already dropping.

I think the Wings get at least the second pick this year.

If the league had any influence I think they would.. I don't believe in that. The amount of corruption involved in rigging a lottery system for draft picks in any major sport would be such a huge development.. Also if the league had any influence, I doubt McDavid makes it to Edmonton after the lottery runs they had and the questions of player development.

 

[Flowah]

I normally want to come down hard on "the next big thing" because more often than not, they're not as good as advertised... but Lafreniere looks to fill the part. He's much more Taylor Hall than he is Nail Yakupov.

Eh?

I feel like at least since the lockout they've usually been as good as advertised. Crosby, Kane, Stamkos, Tavares, Hall, MacKinnon, McDavid, Matthews, are all elite, elite players. That's a full 7/15 drafted players since 2005. I'd say Dahlin and Hughes should still get a couple years to see exactly what their peak is but they don't look awful. The only real disappointments I see here are Yakupov, and Erik Johnson. Maybe RNH and Ekblad but I wouldn't say they're disappointing. Not every draft can have Crosby/McDavid. RNH and Ekblad are still damn good players.

Anyway, about Zadina, what I like about him is he gets a lot of touches. What that says to me is that either he's good at following the puck or the puck follows him. Either way it means he's in the right place most of the time. That's hockey sense. That's hard to teach and I LOVE hockey sense. It's so clear to me that after the questions of "Can you skate at a level where you can least keep up in the NHL" the question should be "How's your hockey IQ?" Because you can have a speed demon like AA who can give McDavid a run for his money but with his lack of hockey sense you're just left frustrated. Meanwhile Zadina, who needs to work on his footspeed a bit, doesn't. Because he's in the right place to make the right play more often instead of being out in the middle of nowhere not impacting the play.

That's a very promising sign for me. I hope he can put it together and make me eat my skepticism about him.

 

[Killerjas]

Imagine we get the first overall pick in this and next years draft

Lafreniere - Johnson - Zadina for a first line.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Imagine we get the first overall pick in this and next years draft

Lafreniere - Johnson - Zadina for a first line.

Kent Johnson? What does he play like? I've never seen him play yet.

 

[Killerjas]

Kent Johnson? What does he play like? I've never seen him play yet.

He is on pace to have a similar point total as Newhook

Kent Johnson at eliteprospects.com

 

[GettingYourMoms]

He is on pace to have a similar point total as Newhook

Kent Johnson at eliteprospects.com

Who Is Newhook.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Who Is Newhook.

Alex Newhook at eliteprospects.com

 

[GettingYourMoms]

Alex Newhook at eliteprospects.com

Hmm seems like bust.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Hmm seems like bust.

He was drafted like 6-7 months ago...chill out with the hot take theatre.

 

[Henkka]

He looks completely different even than he did in preseason. Very impressive and surprising the progression he's shown since.

At least something is done right at Grand Rapids. Team has struggles, but these kids are progressing.

I think at the moment, we stat-watch too much guys in these development processes. Zadina did look like a bust, if we look on ly on his AHL production, that's not at all the factor of his development.

Because they were learning winning hockey down there at Griffins. Results are now obvious, he has developed to be a more complete player.

Same for Veleno. Everybody has been worried about his lack of statistical progress and lots of collected minuses at Grand Rapids.

But what happens when he joins Team Canada a WJC ? Nothing but praise from his coach especially of his defensive play, and most used forward in Gold Medal team.

So for me, this opened my eyes, and it's 100% obvious, that the same development program is now going on with Veleno at Grand Rapids. He is at learning process, and that is not seen on his stats at all. Kind of totally opposite.

So, we should stop stat-watching what comes to Griffins and wait these guys to show what can they do in NHL. It's the only thing what matters.

 

[ArmChairGM89]

At least somthing is done right at Grand Rapids.

I think at the moment, we stat-watch too much guys in these development progresses. Zadina did look like a bust, but they were learning winning hockey down there at Griffins. Resuls are now obvious, he developed to be more complete player.

Same for VEleno. Everybody has been worried about his lack of statistical progress and lots of minuses at Grand Rapids.
But what happens at Team Canada? Nothing but praise from his coach of his defensive play.

So it's 100% obvious, same program is going on with Veleno at Grand Rapids. He is at learning process, and that is not seen on stats at all. Kind of totally opposite.

We should stop stat-watching what comes to Griffins and wait these guys to show what can they do in NHL. It's the only thing what matters.

I don’t even consider the +\- stat if I haven’t seen a majority of a players shifts. You can do everything defensively perfect as a team and get a minus. In addition, you can do everything perfect as an individual and someone else screws up and you get a minus. +\- is the worst stat in the world for “stat watchers”

now if you watch the majority of their shifts and it reflects their play that’s another thing.

 

[TCNorthstars]

He was drafted like 6-7 months ago...chill out with the hot take theatre.

It was a little over 1.5 years ago!

 

[Henkka]

I don’t even consider the +\- stat if I haven’t seen a majority of a players shifts. You can do everything defensively perfect as a team and get a minus. In addition, you can do everything perfect as an individual and someone else screws up and you get a minus. +\- is the worst stat in the world for “stat watchers”

now if you watch the majority of their shifts and it reflects their play that’s another thing.

Sometimes, getting minuses could be just that the plusses are missing. Like Veleno has had poor production. Everybody is getting more minuses, but scoring lines are getting plusses too and those will even out.

 

[Hen Kolland]

I think at the moment, we stat-watch too much guys in these development processes. Zadina did look like a bust, if we look on ly on his AHL production, that's not at all the factor of his development.

Zadina's production has never looked like that of a bust, and the eye test up to the beginning of this season naturally gave worry to some. The difference between the Zadina in preseason and the Zadina we see today is drastic in how he plays and how comfortable and confident he looks.

 

[Ezekial]

It was a little over 1.5 years ago!

Newhook was drafted in 2019.

 

[Henkka]

Zadina's production has never looked like that of a bust, and the eye test up to the beginning of this season naturally gave worry to some. The difference between the Zadina in preseason and the Zadina we see today is drastic in how he plays and how comfortable and confident he looks.

So you can agree that some things are done right at Griffins?

And it's the most important thing.

Player development.

 

[Hen Kolland]

So you can agree that some things are done right at Griffins?

And it's the most important thing.

Player development.

I don't know if it's what is happening in Grand Rapids that's responsible for Zadina's growth. It definitely a possibility, but it could also be Horcoff and Cleary's work. It could just be a confidence and experience thing. We would need to see more players cashing in on their potential after stints in GR to say that the Griffins are responsible. The Veleno part seems like a stretch in my opinion. He's barely even started his professional career, and he has been praised for his complete game going back to his draft year. What we need to see from Joe is the development of his feel for offense at the professional level.

 

[TCNorthstars]

Newhook was drafted in 2019.

His/her post lacks context, but I don't see any hot takes about Newhook in this Zadina thread.

 

[Hen Kolland]

His/her post lacks context, but I don't see any hot takes about Newhook in this Zadina thread.

You probably have someone on ignore. When asked who is Newhook (by ZadinaNotBustina), I shared Newhook's EliteProspects link, to which the response was "hmm seems like a bust."

 

[Konnan511]

He was drafted like 6-7 months ago...chill out with the hot take theatre.

Come on man. Don't feed the trolls.

It's like the annoying little brother, if you ignore them long enough, they'll go somewhere else.